This is a finding aid (or, description) of materials available in the La Crosse Public Library Archives. At this time, none of the materials listed below are accessible over the internet.
Contact the Archives to learn more about using these materials.
Guide to the Edward C. and Anna A. (Mellor) Cronon Family Photograph Collection, circa 1880-1910
MSS 107
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Abstract
- Edward C. Cronon (1836-1926) came from New York to La Crosse County, Wisconsin, in 1855. In 1877 Cronon married Anna A. Mellor (1858-1933). Together they had seven children. This collection consists of cabinet photographs and carte-de-visites that were removed for preservation reasons from four vintage albums. Some photographs are identified and many are not, but all are portrait photographs taken by professional photographers. Many appear to be family related, such as the Bradbury group from England. Locally, some of the more notable photographs include the John W. Birney family who were a successful Black barbering family; Judge Charles S. Benton and some Cronon children from Austin, Minnesota.
- Collection Title
- Edward C. and Anna A. (Mellor) Cronon Family Photograph Collection
- Date of Materials
- 1880-1910
- Creator
- Cronon, Edward C., 1836-1926
- Call Number
- MSS 107
- Amount
- 0.4 cubic feet
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- La Crosse Public Library Archives
Biographical
According to Memoirs of La Crosse County (1907) and his obituary, Edward C. Cronon (1836-1926) was born in Schaghticoke, Rennsselaer County, NY on Oct. 17, 1836. Cronon settled in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1855 and remained there until his death in 1926. He was referred to as “Judge” Cronon in his later years.
During the Civil War, he served with Co. I of the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and was wounded in the wrist at a battle at Corinth, Mississippi. His left arm below the elbow was amputated as a result and received a discharge. After the war, in 1877, Cronon married Anna A. Mellor, daughter of James Mellor who was a comrade killed in the battle at Nashville, TN. Together they had Alice H., Daisy G. (Mrs. George F. Cady), James B., Dottie, Annie M., Edmund D. and Elenore F. (Mrs. Louis V. Markgraf).
Cronon first taught school in the town of Shelby when he arrived in La Crosse for fifteen years and was also involved in the steamboat and rafting business. After the Civil War, Cronon returned to La Crosse and became deputy collector of internal revenue, and then served numerous terms as coroner. He served as police justice from 1909-1916. He was well known for going to classrooms to teach children about the importance of Memorial Day and to be patriotic.
Cronon was a charter member of the local chapter of the Knights of Pythias and in 1882 Cronon organized the Wilson Colwell GAR Post in La Crosse, WI.
Anna A. (Mellor) Cronon was the daughter of James and Mary (Bradbury) Mellor. She was born in Chipmunk Coulee on Sept. 30, 1858. Besides involvement with her family, she was involved with the First Presbyterian Church and a leader in church activities. For nearly 40 years she was superintendent of the Grace chapel Sunday School. In recognition of her dedication and service to the church, the name of the Presbyterian Mothers’ Circle was changed to Anna Cronon Circle. She was also a member of the Wilson Cowell Relief Corps and the Service Star Mothers. Anna died Oct. 1, 1933, in La Crosse, Wis.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains photographs removed from Victorian era albums that are undated. Generally, the photographs span in date from approximately 1880-1910. These were cabinet photographs and carte-de-visites.
The collection consists of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century portraits of the Cronon, Bradbury, and Birney families. The Birneys were neighbors and were a prominent La Crosse black family. There are no images of Edward C. or Anna Cronon in this collection.
Some photographs were identified by the donor (a grandson of Edward & Anna) or his parents Edmund D. and Florence (Meyer) Cronon. Many photos are unidentified. Although it did not appear that there was any particular order to the albums or the photographs within them, original groupings by album were maintained.
Some photographs that originated in England (Liverpool, Glossop in Derbyshire, for example) are thought to be of the Bradbury family. Bradbury was the maiden name of Anna A. (Mellor) Cronon’s mother, Mary.
The order of photographic material maintains the four original albums. Album #1 with "Miss Annie Cronon" written on the cover comprises Box 1 Folders 2-3; album #2 is contained in folders 4-5; album #3 in folders 6-7; and album #4 with "Edward Cronon" in folders 8-9. Generally, the first folder from each album are the identified subjects and the second folder contains images of unknown or unidentified people.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
La Crosse Public Library Archives 2006 July
800 Main St.La Crosse, Wisconsin, 54601
(608) 789-7136
archives@lacrosselibrary.org
Acquisitions Information
Donated by E. David Cronon, decendent, June 2006 (Accession No. 2006-057)
Collection Inventory
Biographical information |
Box 1 |
Folder 1 |
||
|
|
||||
Photographic material from albums |
||||
Identified |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Alden, Charles J., taken in La Crosse, Wis., 1892 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
Barlow family: Albert, Cozette, Dode, Helen, taken in Kansas, 1896-1898 |
1 | 2, 4 | ||
|
Benton, C. S. (judge), taken in La Crosse, Wis., before 1882 |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Birney family, taken in La Crosse, Wis., before 1885 |
1 | 2, 6, 8 | ||
|
Bradbury family: Amy, Jessie, taken in England, 1910 |
1 | 2, 8 | ||
|
Bradley family, taken in La Crosse, Wis., 1893-1897 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
Brown, Emma, taken in La Crosse, Wis., 1890s |
1 | 2, 4 | ||
|
Cronon family: Agnes, Alice, Angela, Daisy, Frank, Jimmy, Mary Kelly, son of David & his wife, taken in Austin, Minn., and Minneapolis, Minn., 1890s |
1 | 2, 6, 8 | ||
|
Ford, Marion, taken in Mondovi, Wis. |
1 | 2 | ||
|
French family: Fred, Andrew, taken in West Salem, Wis. |
1 | 8 | ||
|
Gege family: Hugh, Fred, taken in Winona, Minn. |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Jeffords family: Leslie, Warren, taken in Winona, Minn |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Markemon, Mr., taken in La Crosse, Wis., 1860s |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Muehr or Mueller?, Mary, taken in La Crosse, Wis., ca. 1884-1901 |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Prentiss, Mrs. W. S., taken in Trenton, MO |
1 | 6 | ||
|
Rogers family: Emma, Hugh, Minnie Lisk or Link?, "Little Bob", taken in La Crosse, Wis., ca. 1893-1897 |
1 | 2, 4 | ||
|
Rowan, Maude, taken in La Crosse, Wis. |
1 | 2 | ||
|
Sargent, S. J., taken in Olymia, Wash., 1892 |
1 | 2 | ||
|
Taylor, William, taken in La Crosse, Wis. |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Thumb, Gen. Tom & wife; Commodore Nutt & Minnie Warren |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Union Commanders (from painting) |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Washington, George |
1 | 4 | ||
|
Watkins, Jessie, taken in La Crosse, Wis. |
1 | 8 | ||
Unidentified |
Box 1 |
Folder 3, 5, 7, 9 |
||
|
|
||||